Auxiliary fuel tank for automobiles



Nov. 10, 1925 1,561,358 c. L. SARNELLE AUXILIARY FUEL TANK FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed April 10, 1923 WITNESSES IN VENIOI? A TTORNEYS a specification.

Patented Nov. 1Q, 19,25a

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cimsmns it. ssnnminn, on BROOKLYN, new Yank.

AtUXILIARY FUEL TANK FOR AUTOMQIBILES.

Application filed April i0, 192.3. Serial No. 631,137.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, CHARLES L. SARN LE, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Fuelianks for Automobiles, of which the following is This invention relates to a An object of the invention is to provide that'there will always be a definite amount of fuel on hand when the main tank runs dry andeven when the usual vacuum tank supply is exhausted. A further object is to provide that when" binat-ion of elements that the driver must take certain steps and perform certain acts before he can make use of and after having used it, before he can start up with the regular system again.

The invention is illustrated in the drawing which diagrammatically represents the fuel system of an automobile with the auxiliary tank disposed therein.

In the operation of cars it oftentimes happens that the driver will exhaust his main as well as his vacuum tank before he is aware of the depletion and if he is fer.

from a supply of iuel he will be'considerably inconvenienced' By using my auxiliary tank as hereinafter described he can never run short, except deliberately, and

then only after he hasj'gotten out and deliberately 'made extra'connections. Under ordinary conditions he Wili always have a full auxiliary tank even thoughthe main. and the vacuum tanks are empty. v

The invention is related to an automobile supplied with a main tank 1 and a usual vacuum tank 2. A pipe 3 connects the top of the vacuum tank 2 with a source of suction from the engine. Apipe 4 leads from the bottom of the tank 2 to the carbureter. A pipe 5 leads from the top of the .tank 2 to the top of an auxiliary tank 6. A pipe 7 leads from the main tank top of the tankt within whichit depends threaded plug new and use ful' idea of an auxiliary fuel tank for an: tomobiles.

fin the bottom of the shell the auxiliary tank 1 through the.

nearly to the bottom of the thnk .6.

8 closes a clean-out opening in the'bot-tomof the tankf S; -A-cy1indrical shell 9'cxt endsvertically froin the plug 8 and a tubular screen 1;). embraces the upper end of. the shell 9 and extends upward to embrace the pipe 7' at a level near the up .per end of theta-nit. 6. The bottom of the pipe 'ij'lies within the shell 9.: A cock 11 '15 disposed in the-bottom of the plug 8. A PlPGlQBXtGDClS from a point near the bottom of the tank 6 to the pipe. at and a valve 13 is disposed therein; A valve 14 is disposed in the pipe .15is isposedinthe pipe 7. p In the operation of the device, the suction through the pipe 3sucks fuel from the tank .1 up the pipe Y into the tank 6 and thence" through the pipe 5 into the vacuum tank 2-. until both tanks 21- and 6 are. full.

time the valves Hand 13 are closedLandthe valve 1:1 is open. In leaving thei pipe-TI the fuel must and be filtered and dirt the fuel will also settle in the be drawn oft through the cook the tank 6 the plug the Any water in. shell andcan 11. To clean 8 can be unscrewed and shell. and the screen of the other parts of the device. The suction action will continue until the tank 1 and the pipe 7 are empty. Then the suction will draw fuel from the top of tank,- 6 and just as soon as its level is lowered. from the end of the pipe 5 the suction will bebroken and further. supply of fuel from tank 6 will cease. The driver will then travel on the fuel in the vacuum tank until it is exhausted. when the engine would be in hard luck unless near a arage but with my auxiliary tank he has a su stantially full tank 6 to draw from. However he can not'draw from this tank 6 until he opens valve 18 and makes sure to close valve 14: because if he does notclose valve A check valve} i 7.0

At this .1

dropped out of the; r tank with the plug without deranging any will. stop. Ordinarily he pass through. tlief'soreen 10 therein collecting i let the engine suctionthrough the pipe 3 will be balanced by the suction through the pipe 4 and no fuel will-flow. He then can run to the nearest garage on the fuel in tank 6. -When he fills up his main tank. he opens valve 14 and closes valve 1%, and" to fallback on. crate actions are required of him before he can make use of this extra tank and other definite actions before he can restore the system to its normal condition. Thiinvem tion re'quires no material alteration of the present system and can be installfedon any car using a vacuum tank Without deranging the ordinary parts thereof. It merely requires the interposition of an extra tank in the proper way between the vacuum tank and the main tank.

Whatl claim is. 19

1. A fuel supply; system which includes a main tank, a vacuum tank, and an auxiliary tank, a conduit'leading from the main tank tov the bottom of the auxiliary tank, a conduit leading from the top of the auxiliary tank to the top of the vacuum tank, a conduit leading from the top of the vacuum tank to a source of suction, a conduit leading from the bottom of the vacuum tank to an engine, and a conduit leading from the bottom of the auxiliary tank to the conduit which leads from the bottom of the vacuum tank.

2. In a fuel supply system an auxiliary tank, a pipe leading from a source of fuel supply through the top of the .tank nearly to the bottom of said tank, a removable plug closing an opening in the bottom of said auxiliary tank, a shell rising from said plug within the tank, a screen embracing the upper end of the shell and surrounding the pipe Within the tank, said plug and shell and'screen capable of being removed from the-tank through said opening in its botpipe, a removable plug in the bottom of. the

auxiliary tank, a shell rising from the plug within the auxiliary tank, a screen surrounding the upper end ofthe shell and extending to and embracing the pipe Within said tank, a cock Within said plug, a pipe from the top of the auxiliary tank to'the top of the vacuum tank, a pipe from the top of the vacuum tank to a source'of suction, a valve in said last mentioned pipe, a pipe leadin from near the bottom of the auxiliary tan to the engine, a. valve in said last mentioned pipe, and a pipe leading from the bottom of the vacuum tank to the last mentioned pipe.

4. In a fluid fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine, the combination with a main supply tank and a vacuum tank, of an auxiliary fuel supply tank, a conduit leading from the main tank through the top of the auxiliary tank nearly to the bottom of the auxiliary tank, a conduit connecting the upper part of the auxiliary tank with the upper part of the vacuum tank, a valved conduit connecting the upper part of the vacuum tank with a suction producing part of the engine, conduit connecting the lower part of the vacuum tank with the carbu. 

